Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 83699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
But Gideon and Rosita laughed.
Fernsby took Gabrielle’s hand and moved aside, allowing the bride and groom to step down from the dais as the servers began cutting the cake for the rest.
When he tried to release Gabrielle’s hand, she held on. “See? You don’t always need butter and eggs to make a fabulous cake.”
“My dear young woman, please do not delude yourself. While your cake is moist and delicious—” He leaned close for Gabrielle’s ears only. “—butter and eggs are food for the soul.”
“You mean they harden the arteries.”
She was definitely quick-witted. Fernsby looked down at her. Then he bared his teeth in what might have been a smile. “As long as they don’t harden the heart.”
* * *
Ava hugged her sister, whispering into her ear, “Your cake is a freaking masterpiece.” She looked around for Fernsby, but he was talking to Susan Spencer. “It was better than Fernsby’s,” she added. “But do not under pain of torture ever tell him I said that.”
Gabby hugged her back. “Don’t you tell him I actually tried his cake, even though it’s not vegan. And it was totally yummy. In fact, I ate a whole piece,” she ended on a whisper. “Then I got sick from all that butter.”
They put their heads together and laughed, drawing a glare from Fernsby over Susan’s shoulder.
Of course Gabby would have tried Fernsby’s cake, since their tiers were so closely tied. Though she was generally vegan, she sometimes splurged when no one was looking. And sometimes even when someone was looking.
“I’ll never tell.” Ava zipped her lips. “Your secret is mine.”
They laughed together at Fernsby’s expense and hugged again.
“You,” Gabby said, tapping Ava’s shoulder, “were so amazing, getting Ransom to jump in at the last minute to handle all the food.”
“He owed me big-time.” She wanted to turn around and look for him, but she was afraid people would notice. Not that she’d made any longing glances. All she’d done was look.
“He totally owed you after what he did to you.” Gabby was silent a moment. “But he’s jumped in with catering for your care homes. And stepping in for the wedding at the last moment couldn’t have been easy.”
“He has amazing contacts.”
Gabby was thoughtful. “Still, it must have been stressful and demanding to do it all with no notice. If Rosie and Gideon had asked me on a Friday night to make a wedding cake for Sunday?” She left the question without an answer, just widened her eyes in horror.
Ava was sure Ransom’s feat hadn’t been easy at all. Not only had he taken on the job with less than two full days to accomplish it, he’d managed to make all her favorite foods. And he’d brought in that fabulous champagne.
Then Gabby added, “I judged him pretty harshly for what he did to you. But maybe the guy has actually changed.”
Had he? Or was he trying to win her over? Ava couldn’t allow herself to be fooled by all the kind gestures, by the foodie love letter or the way he’d painted Myrtle’s nails, by the Supermart shopping trip or the chocolate-chip pancakes they’d shared.
Before her thoughts could overwhelm her, she shoved her sister lightly. “Now, off you go to collect your accolades.”
Gabby fluttered her fingers in her wake.
Even as something inside her wanted to soften toward Ransom, Ava forced herself to remember the last time. Doing everything she could to please him, just as she had with her parents. Trying everything she could to get them to notice her and love her—the best student, the best at sports, the best at everything. They’d never noticed.
Part of her wondered if she was still trying to please them even after their deaths, to get them to love her, to accept her. Maybe that was why she’d worked so hard to build her business.
Ransom knew just the right buttons to push by telling her what an amazing job she’d done over the years. He’d known how to do that even then, offering the praise she’d most craved from her parents, telling her how smart she was, how hardworking.
Then he’d made his offer as if none of that mattered at all. And when she hadn’t jumped at it, he’d ghosted her.
What would stop him from ghosting her again once he’d set up her catering? Three months, six months from now, he’d be back to his fabulous famous chef’s life. And she’d be just the ghost he left behind.
But God, it was so hard to remember their massive screw-up in the past or even to consider his future leave-taking with all the love blossoming around her—Gideon and Rosie lost in each other’s gazes, Cammie and Dane returning to the dance floor, wrapped around each other. All the Mavericks, all the love. Susan and Bob Spencer dancing in each other’s arms, their lips so close they could be kissing, even after all the years they’d been together.